Wednesday Morning Commute - Canopy

Good morning

Montgomery County Planning: "What could make your experience better on the Georgetown Branch Trail? Join planners on a Greater Lyttonsville Trail Run/Walk on Thursday, July 12 at the Stewart Avenue Trailhead on the Georgetown Branch Trail. Show us what works – and what doesn’t – on the trail" @ 7pm

Steve Offut writes about the Washington Blvd Trail extension in Arlington County and the concern by some that the tree loss will be too high a cost. "The entire project may present a terrific opportunity to create an even more beautiful canopy as well as improve habitat. By working with arborists and urban forestry experts, perhaps an even better canopy could be created in harmony with the trail." I too am hopeful. As Offut writes, many of the trees are non-native and there may be room to add enough trees to balance off the loss. The proposal to move the trail to the east side would also remove a lot of trees, while creating a more circuitous trail cut off from many possible users.

American Teejay Van Garderen is currently in the Tour de France's White Jersey for the top rider under 25. He's been in it for most of the race so far. "The 23-year-old cyclist from Montana, who many think will one day contend for the yellow jersey, finished fourth in the ninth stage and moved up to eighth place in the overall standings....Only two Americans, Greg Lemond and Andy Hampsten, have won the Tour’s white jersey."

I suspect she'll make more money over her lifetime because she quit her day job. Olympian probably looks good on a resume.

My experience on the George-downed Branch Trail would be greatly enhanced by the removal of the downed power lines, trees, and the long stretch of collapsed chain-linked fence covering the trail. Perhaps these improvements could be incorporated into the long-term sector plan for 2013 and beyond.

Beaker: didnt you know that the Georgetown Branch trail was being turned into an adventure course? Every few months there are new downed trees. Winter, we have ice and bamboo. And, just to keep us guessing, they sometimes add a large amount of soft sand to get stuck in.